Jeff--
Sorry I didn't put in a little more time visiting with you guys. I did get involved in watching Keli Rapp's chase to make the cut. She didn't miss the pocket with a single shot all night. Some were a little iffy, but they got there. She missed just a few spares. I had heard that it looked like the cut was going to be somewhere in the +160-180 range. I spoke briefly to Kendra Gaines and she said +160 (she had no concerns at +555), but the tournament office said +180, which turned out to be exactly right. Keli started the day a bit under and climbed throughout the set until after seven games she was +149. I had made the acquaintance of her dad, so I told him that it looked like +180 was what it was going to take. I had no idea if she would want to know, so I left it up to him to decide. She had moved way left and picked up her speed, and cranked out a 257 to go +206 and come in 55th. Who says bowling isn't exciting? There was a young lady who was part of Keli's cheering section that I spoke to briefly , but didn't find out till after the competition that she was not only Keli's high school friend, but unbeknownst to me, she had participated in the tournament herself. Her name was Tanya DeSantis (she finished #116 at -139). Strangely enough, I had already PMed our forum's Michael DeSantis to see if she was any relation to him. She isn't. Keli was +200-something for the day. In today's Free Press it mentions that tournament leader Kelly Kulick and a bunch of others were able to use the same ball all set. Keli Rapp did that as well, using a Diesel Particle Pearl, one of my own favorites.
I wandered around for awhile afterwards waiting for the results sheets to come out, but somehow or other I missed you guys in the bar. Tish Johnson was certainly having a good time, and I had noticed that she was clearly having a good time all night, playing to the crowd and being very friendly. I was very surprised to find out later that she had not even made the cut!
Strangely, the final four to make the cut (#s 61-64) were all local amateurs--Laura Goldberg, Betty Trimper, Michelle Ewald, and Tracey Wade.
The whole thing was a blast. It was all over before I realized that I had hardly even visited with you guys. To Jeff, Joey, and rackattack--it was great meeting you last night. To michelle, who I met at the pro-am--take care of that hand and kill 'em next week in Terre Haute!
Shiv
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Listening to the monotonous staccato of rain on my desk top
Edited on 5/29/2003 9:09 AM
